Photo: Dorothy Gotlib

Davy Rothbart celebrates the paperback release of his book of essays, My Heart Is an Idiot, at the Found Magazine Release Party at Schubas tonight.

Three sentences into Davy Rothbart’s book of essays, My Heart Is an Idiot, I laughed so hard that I snorted.

Books rarely make me laugh out loud, let alone snort. But, Rothbart is an unfiltered, whimsical, and ballsy storyteller, who fills the book with Seinfeldian characters. Like the one in the first paragraph of the first essay, “Bigger and Deafer”—a boyhood friend with a mentally handicapped brother who makes fun of him (“My brother’s a retard”) and other mentally handicapped kids. But, the friend beats up other kids who poke fun at the handicapped.

An Ann Arbor, Michigan, native, Rothbart is best known as the creator of Found magazine, the compilation of notes, love letters, poems, birthday cards, to-do lists, and photos that have been discarded by others. He is also a contributor to This American Life.

Tonight, in part to celebrate the paperback release of My Heart Is an Idiot, as well as a new CD of his greatest hits on This American Life and the brand new issue of Found, Rothbart will be in town for what he’s calling the Found Unfinished Business Tour. Here’s the description of the event:

Davy will share the latest magical and mesmerizing finds that’ve landed in the mailbox here at FOUND HQ, plus outrageous tales from his book, My Heart Is an Idiot, and essays from his work on This American Life. Joining Davy onstage is one of his favorite tour finds of all-time—the dazzling, uniquely talented sword-swallower Brett Loudermilk. Prepare to be amazed and disturbed! With special guest, charismatic DJ Mikah Tha Vipah (a.k.a. Hakim Selby).

Go, laugh, maybe even snort.

Tickets are $5 in advance and can be purchased online, or for $10 at the door at Schubas, tonight, September 18, at 9pm.